Gilas-Pilipinas vs New Zealand match-up, interesting?

WILL it be redemption or payback time for Gilas-Pilipinas?..Or just another conquest by the New Zealand Tall Blacks?.

These questions will be answered two weeks from now, when the tormented and the conqueror meet for the fifth time during the second window qualifier of the FIBA Asia Cup.

Dubbed as interesting match-up, by experts and game analyst. Gilas-Pilipinas lose all five matches against the KIwis in different occasions, but judging on all the four games loses, Gilas fanatics were quick to rebut the said defeats, saying this time the nationals are parading with a total complete different and better line-up than previous team. And not to mention with a different mentor as well, in Tim Cone.

So far, the Tall Blacks have asserted its dominance over Gilas. During the 2022 FIBA Asia Group phase, 92-75, FIBA 2023 World Cup qualifying round, 100-60, 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) ,89-80, and the 2022 FIBA OQT, 90-75. The Nationals’ losing streak came under the former coach Chot Reyes.

Both Gilas and New Zealand, have gone through their respective Olympic qualifying during the last Paris Olympics. Though failed to gain a ticket, both squads showed impressive performance during the OQT. Gilas scored a first ever win against a European team in over six decade, beating World no.6 Latvia, 89-80, While the Tall Blacks beat no15 Croatia, 98-78, in their own OQT.

Now let’s try briefly, make a random comparison of their respective team rosters. And find out what makes Gilas-New Zealand matchup so interesting. Lets start-off with the frontliners. Gilas’ Chris Newsome (Meralco Bolts), 6″2′, who will take the point and direct Cone’s playbook. meeting him in the same position for the Tall Blacks is Corey Webster (also at six-foot-two), who has an average of 13.5 points per game with 2.5 rebounds  and two assist. Webster is believed to be the main concern of Gilas’ defense.

Newsome, on the other hand is regarded as the national’s best defender against a prolific scorer. Cone believed Newsome can also contribute in scoring, with an average of 9.3 points per game, 3,3 rebounds and 1.3 steals. The matchup tag as “Great offense versus Great defense”. On the side of shooting guards, Dwight Ramos (6-4) is going up against the 6-2 Izayah Le’ Afa.

Expect a shootout from the perimeter as both players are good scorer within the arc. Le Afa has 13.0 point average and the Kiwis’ third best scorer. Ramos is also consistent from the floor with 13.7 points and Gilas’ second consistent shooter next to naturalized Justine Brownlee. And speaking of Brownlee (6-6), who time and again, carried the fight for Gilas like the last OQT against Latvia, Georgia and Brazil. The later will be facing of a familiar foe in Tom Vodanovich (6-7), who played in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup  for Converge Fiberxer and  saw action for New Zealand in the OQT and the World Cup last.

Vodanovich averages 11 points and has  2-5 average from the three-point line. Based on numbers, experts said Brownlee is expected to dominate his Tall Blacks counterpart in the wing side. Brownlee averages 23.0 points, 8.3 rebounds. 6.3 assist In the other forward match pits 6-10 A.J Edu, who is said to be fully recovered from hip injury, versus another 6-10 Sam Waardenburg. Thie matchup is regard as showdown between  two “bigs” The Kiwi swing man has a 16.points average, with 7.5 rebound and 1.1 block shot. Though AJ has 7.1 point average, 6.8 rebound and 1.8 block shot. But the later is a reliable shot blocker. And comes to the slot position, with our NBA hopeful 7″3′ Kai Sotto going against seven-foot Tyrell Harrison, who had eight-season experience in the National Basketball League (NBL) of Australia, averaging 12.9 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.1 block. Sotto, who is currently playing for the Koshigawa Alphas. Averaging double-double after four games in the Japan B-League. 12.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.4 block (ranked 3rd in the league’s shot block.)

And there you have it, the first fives for both teams set to cross -path come Nov.21 at the 30,000 seater Mall of Asia. Gilas is also set to tangle again versus Hong Kong on Nov.24 also at MOA.

Meantime, my congratulation to TNT tropang Giga, for winning the PBA Commissioner’s Cup defeating the fame and fabled Barangay Ginebra,95-85, in Game six to wrap-up their best of seven series to 4-2. Its TNT’s second straight Commissioner’s Cup title the same feat TNT mentor Chot Reyes achieved also against the Gin Kings last year. (ROBERTO “BOBBY” RONDEZ)